Wire stretcher



April 8, 1924. 1,489,901

E c. F. RUTTMAN WIRE TRETGHER Filed may 24. 192s 2 shes-sheet 1 gnou/Hoz LZZDMZZM@ f @11 www* f wml-r April 8 1924.

c. F. RUTTMAN WIRE STRETCHER Filed May 24 1925 `2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gru/nemica:

@Hoz nu# Patented pr. 8, 1924.

WIRE STRETCHER.

Application led May 24, 1923.

T 0 all iti/10m t may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES F. RUTTMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mosca, in the county of Alamosa and State of Colorado, has invented new and useful Improvements in `Wire Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and efficient fence building or wire stretching apparatus suitable for simultaneously stretching a plurality of wires or runners in the bulding of a fence; and with this object in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein :f

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus arranged in an operative position with its frame seated against a fence post.

Figure 2 is ay side elevational view.

Figure 3 is a. plan view.

Figure at is a horizontal longitudinal sec tionalr view.

The apparatus consists essentially of a supportingframe having top and bottom marginal bars 10 and 11 connected near their front ends by an upright bar 12 and near their rear ends by an upright bar 13, and a follower frame mounted for sliding movement in the supporting frame and consisting of upper and lower ratchet bars 14 and 15 connected by a head 16 towhich the runner wires 17 are adapted to be attached, said head including a bar 18 terminally extended to lit in guides formed between parallel spaced elements of said top and bottom supporting frame bars 10 and 11. The head is preferably provided with a clamp bar 19 secured by screws or bolts 2O as a means of securing the wire runners or fabric thereto, it being understood that the apparatus may be used either for the stretching of separate runner wires or of a wire fabric of a width necessary for the height of the fence.

Mounted upon the marginal supporting frame bars are operating levers 21 split to straddle the ratchet bars of the follower frame and provided with operating pawls 22 for engagement with the teeth of' the ratohe bars to advance the follower frame in the direction necessary to stretch the fence wire, and mounted upon the rear upright 13 of the supporting frame are the 'holding pa-wls 23 also adapted for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet bars for locking the follower Serial No. 641,106.

frame .in its adjusted posit-ions or the position to which it is moved successively by the operation of the levers 21. Guide pins 2st span the interval between the spaced side elements of the upright 13 to form rests for the ratchet bars which are preferably pivoted at 25 to the head 16.

The forward ends of the marginal bars of the supporting frame are provided with shoes 2G for engagement with a fence post 2,7 which is preferably the corner post of a'.

fence structure. v Y.

ln order to maintain the supporting frame in its proper position there is employed a brace frame 27 extended laterally from and in a plane perpendicular to that of the supporting frame and consist-ing of an obliquely disposed rod 2S connected at its lower end with horizontal rod 29 engaged with an eye SO designed for the reception of a stem or pin 31 to be driven into the ground. The upper end of the diagonal brace rod is provided with a depending slotted eye 32 and the corresponding end of 'the horizontal, brace rod is provided with an upstanding slotted eye 33 for respective engagement with the rear ends of the marginal bars 10 and 11 of the supporting frame.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. A. fence wire stretcher having a supporting frame provided with marginal bars terminating at their forward ends in shoes for engagement with a fence post, a follower frame mounted to slide in the supporting frame and having a head provide-d with means for traversing said marginal bars, and with means for engaging fence wires, said follower frame also including rearwardly directed ratchet bars, holding pawls mounted upon the supporting frame for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bars to maintain the follower frame in adjusted positions, operating levers mounted upon the supporting frame and provided with pawls for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bars to move the follower frame longitudinally of the supporting frame, and a transversely disposed brace frame for maintaining the upright position of the supporting frame.

2. A fence wire stretcher havinga supporting frame provided with marginal bars terminating at their forward ends in shoes for engagement with a fencel post, follower frame mounted to slide in the supporting frame and having a head provided with means for travereing said marginal bars, and with means for engaging rfence wires, said follower' frame also including rear wardl)7 directed ratchet bars, iolding pawls mounted upon the supporting frame for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet bars to maintain the follower frame in adjusted positions, operating levers mounted upon the supporti-ng frame and provided with pawls for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet hars to more the follower frame longitudinally of the supl'iorting frame, and a transversely disposed hraee frame for maintaining the upright position of. the Supporting frame, the said marginal bars of the supporting frame having spaced elements formine,` guides for the recervtion of the extremities of a head of the following frame.

3. A, fence wire stretcher having a supporting frame provide-d with marginal hars terminating at their forward ends 'i shoes for engagement with a fence post, a follower frame mounted to slide in the supporting frame and having a head provided with means for traversing said marginal bars, and with means for engaging fence wires, said follower frame also including rearwardly directed ratchet hars, holding pawls mounted upon the supporting frame for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet hars to maintain the follower frame in adjusted positions, operating levers mounted upon the supporting frame and provided with pawls for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet hars to move the follower frame longitudinallyv of the supporting frame, and a transversel,1 disposed brace frame for maintaining the upright position of the snpportingl frame, and Consisting of connected oblique and horizontal rods provided at their intersection with an eye for an anchor pin and at their other extremities with eyes for sliding engagement with the extremities of the marginal bars of the supporting frame.

In testimony signature.

whereof he afiixes his CHARLES F. RUTTMAN 

